Or: The Summer When One Writer Just Couldn’t Decide
Sydney Dettmer ’24|September 11, 2022
It’s almost impossible to think about summer 2022 without remembering the release of multiple new shows and seasons. Stranger Things, Never Have I Ever, Love Island, and Riverdale are just a few examples. But the show that really took first place (in my opinion) is The Summer I Turned Pretty. As someone who never read the books, the series released on Amazon in June was brand new to me. Thank God I was forced to watch it by friends. The show takes you through the story of Isabel Conklin, a teenager who travels to Cousins Beach every summer with her mom and brother along with her family friends: Jeremiah and Conrad. But this summer is different.
Belly (Isabel) has grown up. And as her best friend, Taylor, tells her in the first episode, “You look a lot different than last summer, Belly.” We also learn in the first episode that Belly has had a crush on Conrad since she was little. Belly hopes this summer he’ll see her as more than a friend. When the Conklins get to the summer house where the boys and their mom Susannah are waiting for them, you can already sense the tension. But is it between Belly and Conrad? When Belly gets out of the car, Jeremiah runs up to her and is visibly shocked as to how different she looks: “Look who’s come back all grown up!” But when Conrad makes his entrance: Taylor. Swift. Starts playing. (This happens frequently throughout the show.) You can hear “Lover” playing softly as Conrad emerges from behind the house. He is mysterious, just as the song claims. Here is when I knew I was Team Conrad no matter what. After all, you never really lose feelings for your first childhood crush.
What I want to talk about is if Conrad or Jeremiah would actually be better for Belly. I’ll go through factors like attractiveness, emotional availability, etc. So please sit back, relax, read, and jump on Team Conrad.
The first categories are physical attractiveness and personality. (From Belly’s eyes!) Right from the beginning of the show, as I’ve already mentioned, we learn that Belly has always had a crush on Conrad, making him more attractive in her eyes. Being quieter and more reserved, Conrad has a mysterious nature to him that Belly seems to like. On the other hand, Jeremiah is confident, playful, and upfront with his feelings. The iconic Are We Still Friends? scene in Episode 5 shows this perfectly. The scene genuinely shook me. I was 100% Team Conrad until this scene came on. Belly had been trying so hard to get Conrad, while all this time, Jeremiah had been waiting for her. Ugh. Such a great scene. In terms of physical attractiveness, Belly never really mentions anything about Jeremiah’s looks, while we know she has always liked Conrad. Thus, Conrad wins that category. Jeremiah definitely has a personality that is better suitable for a relationship.
Emotional stability and availability! Going to say it right off the bat: Jeremiah. While Conrad is closed off and unclear about how he is feeling, Jer is outgoing, making him more open about his feelings towards Belly. Because he hasn’t learned about his mom’s declining health until the end of the show, unlike Conrad, he is certainly more stable. But he’s immature. He shoots off fireworks when Belly and Conrad are about to kiss (hated that scene), and he has a childlike approach to everything. When he sees Belly with any other boy, he gets jealous. He excessively makes fun of Cam and would be overprotective as a boyfriend. Conrad might be more mature, but he has some serious issues. After finding out about his mom’s health, losing his girlfriend, and quitting football, everything seems to be falling apart for him. Although everyone watching sees the chemistry between him and Belly, he shies away from it and pursues Nicole despite his obvious feelings for Belly. As for mental health: not good. From smoking early in the morning on the beach to having panic attacks on the sailboat while talking to Cleveland, Conrad seems to be entirely emotionally available. Jer might resemble a golden retriever puppy, but he is stable and, as much as I hate to say it, better for Belly.
So what have I learned in writing this? Maybe Jeremiah is better for Belly, but Conrad will always have that childhood crush charm to him. He has amazing chemistry with Belly, and if he figures himself out, maybe it could work out. (Again, I haven’t read the books so I’m not sure what happens.) But for now, in terms of stability, Jer trumps Conrad. The man knows what he wants. I’m still Team Connie though.
FAQs
I think Jeremiah and Belly have the same maturity level, and Conrad needs someone in the same year of college as him. Conrad is the obvious choice for Belly. He has the emotional maturity that Jeremiah lacks. Conrad recognized that he couldn't be his best self for Belly because of his overpowering grief.
Who does she choose Jeremiah or Conrad? ›
Oh, Conrad! With Belly realising that she just can't trust Conrad, she decides that Jeremiah is the one for her. Later, she kisses Jeremiah, showing him that he's the one she wants to be with and the series ends with Belly and Jeremiah together.
Is Taylor team Conrad or Jeremiah? ›
(taylor's version) in the books it is definitely team conrad. jeremiah is only the best friend and i feel like he was horrible as belly's partner. i feel like in the show though jeremiah just has a lot more chemistry with belly than conrad.
Does Belly lose her virginity to Conrad? ›
In the second episode, it's revealed that Belly loses her virginity to Conrad by the fireplace in the house at Cousins Beach after the snow at the beach scene. “I felt like that's where Belly was in her journey,” Han tells Variety. “These two characters were very much in love and had known each other their whole lives.
Who has more fans, Jeremiah or Conrad? ›
From what I've seen, there seem to be more Conrad fans overall (esp obvious on Instagram, Reddit and Twitter) but it also looks like the majority of the people on TikTok are Team Jeremiah.
Who is more handsome, Jeremiah or Conrad? ›
In terms of physical attractiveness, Belly never really mentions anything about Jeremiah's looks, while we know she has always liked Conrad. Thus, Conrad wins that category.
Why does Belly marry Conrad and not Jeremiah? ›
After breaking up with Jeremiah, she spent a year abroad in Spain, where Conrad began to write her letters. The letters re-established their relationship, and they decide to marry. On Belly and Conrad's wedding day, Belly thinks of Susannah and of all the dreams Susannah had for Belly's future.
Why does Conrad break up with Belly? ›
But after Susannah's death, Conrad's grief created distance between him and Belly leading to their breakup at prom. This summer, Belly and Conrad seek closure for their failed relationship, while she and Jeremiah resume their friendship, after she picked Conrad over him.
Why is team conrad better? ›
Sanchez states that although Conrad is pleasant to look at, she thinks that Conrad's intellectual display is of higher quality compared to Jeremiah's. “Conrad's work ethic, problem-solving skills, and ability to think one step ahead make him stand out and contribute to his overall excellence,” Sanchez said.
Is Jeremiah or Conrad endgame? ›
The series ends with Belly marrying Conrad, and the couple starting a new life together. Jeremiah "Jere" Fisher: At the outset of the series, he is the "golden" boy, the one who appears to be untainted in the eyes of everyone.
While they still have a mostly good relationship, it appears that Jeremiah is jealous of Conrad and Belly's close friendship together.
What is the age difference between Conrad and Jeremiah? ›
By the time readers get to the end of Han's trilogy, Conrad is 26 in the epilogue of the third novel. However, in the show, he is 17-years-old and is going through an awkward adolescent phase. Those wondering about younger brother Jeremiah, he was born in 2005 and is 17 at the time when the books are set.
Does Jeremiah cheat on Belly? ›
The relationship is going well... until Belly finds out Jeremiah cheated on her with another girl while the two are at a frat party one night. Heartbroken, she slaps him and spends days in bed crying. To prove his regret, Jeremiah proposes marriage to her.
Who does Belly sleep with first? ›
Belly's First Time
While the pair also staged a secret visit to Cousins during Christmastime on the page, Belly and Conrad did not have sex. But in the second episode, it's revealed that the couple are intimate for the first time in front of the fireplace. "Conrad, it's only you," she tells a sleeping Conrad after.
Does Conrad ever tell Belly he loves her? ›
This was in the final novel We'll Always Have Summer where Conrad breaks down and passionately confesses his true feelings for Belly and begs her not to marry Jeremiah. He even openly cries in front of her and, despite her resisting, tightly embraces Belly while doing so.
Which brother is better for Belly? ›
Some fans find that the older, more mysterious Conrad, who Belly has had a crush on for years, deserves her admiration. However, Jeremiah, the younger, better-looking, and more fun brother who's head-over-heels with Belly, is clearly worthier of her heart.
Why is conrad bad for the Belly? ›
Conrad's flaw is he doesn't know how to communicate. At times, he can push Belly away, making the words he says to her hurtful and insulting. If you take away the fact that Belly has been in love with Conrad for years, Jeremiah is the right choice in every situation because of how good of a guy he is.
How much younger is Belly than Jeremiah? ›
Belly and Jeremiah are supposed to be the same age in the series, meaning he is 17-years-old. But, in real life, Gavin Casalegno is 23-years-old making him six years older than his character.
